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Thursday, June 03, 2010

LOCAL EVENTS WINNIPEG:

DEMONSTRATE AGAINST ISRAELI PIRACY:

Since the vicious attack on the 'Gaza Flotilla' last Sunday demonstrations against this act of Israeli piracy have erupted across the world, and Winnipeg is no exception. Here's the notice for a demonstration that will be held at the Legislative Building corner late tomorrow afternoon.

On Sunday, May 30, 2010, in international waters, Israeli commandos attacked a flotilla taking humanitarian aid to the besieged Gaza Strip. The cargo included toys, medicine, wheelchairs, books, stationery, building materials, and other supplies. Israeli forces boarded the ships illegally and opened fire on the 600 human rights campaigners on board, killing at least 9 people, injuring many others, and arresting the rest.

This latest crisis is not over: another ship, the Rachel Corrie from Ireland, with Irish and Malaysian human rights activists and parliamentarians on board, is heading to Gaza with more humanitarian aid. Israel has not agreed to let it pass.

The urgency of this aid is unquestionable. For three years, Gaza has suffered under a brutal siege that has caused a humanitarian disaster. The last major assault on Gaza in January 2009 lasted over three weeks, left more than 1400 Palestinians dead, including 431 children, and left thousands of families homeless.

Israel has repeatedly acted, unchallenged, in violation of international law. Now, its willingness to mount an illegal and murderous attack on a humanitarian mission in open waters confirms the loss of all restraint and connection to reality. On Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cut short his visit to Canada. In spite of the growing international outcry and condemnation of Israel's actions, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper has not yet taken action to defend human rights and international law.

We urge you to contact Prime Minister Stephen Harper at pm@pm.gc.ca and to call your Member of Parliament to insist that Canada condemn Israel's violation of international law, join the international call for a full, independent inquiry, and demand that Israel end the crushing siege of Gaza.